Masala dosa recipe - This is one of the popular South Indian breakfast recipes. Here thin crepes are made from rice-lentil fermented batter and stuffed with mild yet flavorful potato masala.
Dosa is my favorite food and whenever we go to the south Indian restaurant, I must order a masala dosa or mysore masala dosa.
For masala dosa recipe, I like medium thick yet crispy dosa. And this recipe gives the same result. Though if you prefer very thin paper kind texture and simply spread the batter thin.
While making dosa, many beginners face the issue of sticking to the pan. I have shared the tip in the step by step instruction.
Making everything from scratch require some pre-planning and it is long process. So this is how I divide the tasks.
- Two days before I soak the dal-rice for batter. Grind and let it ferment. It will take total of around 24 hours.
- Once the batter is ready, on the same day I make idli for dinner. I pop leftover batter in the fridge for next day to make dosa. That time I make double batch of sambar, chutney and leftover will go in the fridge.
- Second day, I make potato masala. While batter, sambar and chutney is ready. So meal will be ready in under an hour.
Here I have shared the masala stuffing method and making dosa. And the link is given to the dosa batter recipe. Otherwise it would be too long post.
Check out other South Indian breakfast
Rava upma // Idli recipe // Uttapam // Poori masala
How to make masala dosa recipe (Step by Step Photos):
1) Start preparing the dosa batter at least 24 hours before. Because soaking dal-rice and fermentation takes time. Check out this step by step dosa batter recipe. For the ease of making this masala dosa, you can use store bought batter too.
2) To make potato masala for masala dosa, boil the potatoes in the pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles or till they are soft and cooked. Once potatoes are cooled to touch, peel them and discard the skin. Chop them into small cubes.
3) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them pop. Then add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
4) Now add curry leaves.
5) Then add sliced onions.
6) Cook till they get soft and translucent.
7) Now add green chilies and ginger paste.
8) Mix and saute for a minute or till the raw smell of ginger goes away.
9) Add turmeric powder.
10) Mix well and cook for 30-40 seconds.
11) Add water and bring it to a boil.
12) Add boiled chopped potato and salt.
13) Mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes or till the water dries out. Then turn off the stove.
14) Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.
15) And squeeze the fresh lemon juice.
16) Mix well.
and keep it covered till needed.
17) Now take batter and make the consistency thick yet runny. Adjust by adding water. If your batter is refrigerated then bring it to room temperature before making it.
18) Heat the cast iron tawa on medium heat. Make sure that your tawa or pan in pre-seasoned well. Or use the nonstick pan.
Many times tawa may get too hot. the temperature of tawa should not be too hot or too low. If it gets too hot then sprinkle some water to bring down the temperature. It will sizzle and wipe out the remaining water using paper towel. By doing so the dosa will not stick to the pan.
19) Now pour a ladleful of two of batter in the center of the tawa.
20) Using the same ladle, start spread the batter in circular motion.
21) Keep it thin or medium thick as per your liking. But not to spread it too thin otherwise you won’t be able to roll and it will break as you fold.
22) Drizzle the oil or ghee on and around.
23) Let it it cook for 1-2 minutes on medium low heat or till you notice the bottom is nice golden brown. Adjust the gas heat accordingly and maintain the temperature of tawa. NO NEED to flip and cook other side. Then place 3-4 tablespoons of potato masala.
26) Fold it in half.
Remove it to a plate with the help of spatula and serve.
Serving suggestion: Serve masala dosa with samabr and coconut chutney as a breakfast or meal.
Masala dosa recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups Idli/Dosa batter
- Oil or ghee as needed, for cooking dosa
For potato masala:
- 2 medium or 2 cups Potatoes boiled, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 7-8 Curry leaves
- a pinch or ⅛ teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida)
- 1 medium or ¾ cup Red onion sliced
- 2-3 Green chilies chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup Water
- 2 tablespoons Cilantro or coriander leaves finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
Instructions
- Start preparing the batter at least 24 hours before. Because soaking dal-rice and fermentation takes time. Find the link below for homemade dosa batter or you can use store bought too.
Making potato masala for masala dosa recipe:
- Boil the potatoes in the pressure cooker. Once cool to touch, peel and chop.
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat.
- Once hot add mustard seeds and let them pop.
- Then add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Now add curry leaves. Then add sliced onions. Cook till they get soft and translucent.
- Now add green chilies and ginger paste. Mix and saute for a minute
- Add turmeric powder. Mix well and cook for 30-40 seconds.
- Add water and bring it to a boil.
- Add boiled chopped potato and salt. Mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes or till the water dries out. Then turn off the stove.
- Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and squeeze the fresh lemon juice.
- Mix well and keep it covered till needed.
Making masala dosa recipe:
- Now take batter and make the consistency thick yet runny. Adjust by adding water.
- If your batter is refrigerated then bring it to room temperature before making it.
- Heat the cast iron tawa on medium heat. Make sure that your tawa or pan in pre-seasoned well. Or use the nonstick pan.
- for making dosa the temperature of tawa should not be too hot or too low.
- Now pour a ladleful of two of batter in the center of the tawa.
- Using the same ladle, start spread the batter in circular motion.
- Keep it thin or medium thick as per your liking. Drizzle the oil or ghee on and around.
- Let it it cook for 1-2 minutes on medium low heat or till you notice the bottom is nice golden brown.
- Then place 3-4 tablespoons of potato masala.
- Fold it in half.
- Remove it to a plate with the help of spatula and serve.
Kubra
Hi Kanan,
Where did you use the hing?
Kanan Patel
Hing should be added after adding curry leaves while making potato masala
Mirandamom
Excellent dosa filling! I love the lemon at the end-- it adds just the right zing. One small point: I don't see when to add asafoetida in the instructions. (I added some with the onions and it seemed to work fine.) Thank you (once again) for a super recipe.
Kanan
Glad to know that it came out good.
My bad, I forgot to mention. I have updated that now. Hing should be added after adding curry leaves and right before adding onions. So you did right.